


armor

by seasparks



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Depression, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilers, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-28 19:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20971655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasparks/pseuds/seasparks
Summary: Byleth had promised to return to the monastery in five years to meet up with their students. At the time, this made Edelgard's heart leap with a sort of joy she had taken far too long to acknowledge. But Byleth had been lost—not killed, she reminded herself, just lost, to one day be found again—almost five years ago while aiding Edelgard's assault on Garreg Mach. Some promises just couldn't be kept. All the more reason Edelgard needed to keep a promise of her own, made the day Byleth disappeared.





	armor

"Lady Edelgard, I must insist that you listen to reason. You are allowing sentimentality to cloud your judgment. I would be doing you and everything you believe in an unforgivable disservice if I did not push on this matter."

Edelgard sat in Garreg Mach Monastery's audience chamber and glowered at Hubert. It was the day of what would have been the millenium festival, when she had proposed that her professor and all of her classmates meet back up at the monastery, no matter where life had taken them. As it happened, her classmates were all here, working with her as the Black Eagle Strike Force to fight against the church and reunite Fódlan, but the professor...

Byleth had promised to return to the monastery in five years to meet up with their students. At the time, this made Edelgard's heart leap with a sort of joy she had taken far too long to acknowledge. But Byleth had been lost—not killed, she reminded herself, just lost, to one day be found again—almost five years ago while aiding Edelgard's assault on Garreg Mach. Some promises just couldn't be kept. All the more reason Edelgard needed to keep a promise of her own, made the day Byleth disappeared.

* * *

As soon as she had a chance to escape, Edelgard rushed to her room and curled up in her bed. There had been many duties to attend to as emperor after taking Garreg Mach, and on the outside she performed her role perfectly, but on the inside she was screaming in anger and grief. Burned in her mind was the image of Byleth, her once-professer turned trusted ally and dearest friend, being buried under debris brought down on them by the Immaculate One. The dragon's roar, the tumbling stones, the glimpse of terror on Byleth's usually-stoic face; all these things had been looping in her head for hours.

Edelgard had long ago lost the ability to cry, but her body convulsed in bed as she relived those moments. Just like everyone else she had once held dear, Byleth was taken from her by forces beyond her control. At least from the others she had something to remember them by: for Dimitri, whose mind had been poisoned against her by her wretched uncle, it was an ornate dagger he gave her as a farewell gift; from her siblings, who that same uncle had tortured and killed to imbue her with the Crest of Flames, it was the scars she bore from those same experiments.

From Byleth, she had an armored stuffed bear and some other, less cherished trinkets, but it didn't feel like enough to honor the connection Edelgard felt to them. A way to remind herself and the world of the amazing person she had lost (and, she insisted, would find again).

Edelgard sat up in bed. She had an idea. "Hubert? I know you're there."

"I am yours to command, Lady Edelgard."

"Prepare an excavation team. As soon as dawn breaks, I want them digging through the rubble to search for...survivors."

"Mm."

"And...find me black clothes. Dresses, armor, casual attire. Everything."

"Several? How long are you planning to mourn?"

"Until we rescue Byleth."

Under her breath, Edelgard added: "I won't wear anything else until the day I find you again, Byleth. I promise."

* * *

In the audience chamber, Edelgard wore a suit of light armor, dyed black. If absolutely necessary, she would wear one of her black mourning dresses, but the armor helped maintain some much-needed distance between her and the rest of the world. Especially today. The millenium festival and reunion were supposed to be happy occasions, but for Edelgard, they served as grim reminders of the hole in her life where Byleth had once stood. If they couldn't be there at her side, she would at least treat their absence with solemnity, not forced joy.

Hubert, of course, disagreed. "You cannot be a mere ghost of yourself forever, Lady Edelgard," he had said to her earlier that week. "Even if that is your true self, you must learn to hide it and be the leader Fódlan needs. I will not allow all of our preparations to go to waste, and I know you feel the same, no matter what inner turmoil continues to plague you."

What Hubert didn't know was that Edelgard was no stranger to hiding her true self from everyone, even him. That is, everyone except Byleth. She didn't know if she could suppress a second layer of feelings without breaking herself. Maybe if Byleth were still here for her to open up to in the few precious moments they could both spare...but they weren't, and she was alone.

Instead of any of that, Edelgard had just said, "No. I am still in mourning until Byleth returns. Do not press this issue further." She had hoped this would lay the matter to rest, but when Hubert thought he was right, no command could cause him to change course, even from the emperor herself. He had kept pestering her about it all week, and with their reunion dinner scheduled to begin in a matter of hours, he was back to make one final attempt, this time armed with a dress for her to try on.

The worst part of it all was that she knew Hubert was right. She was wallowing in self-pity, and everyone's morale was suffering for it. "I'm sorry, Byleth," Edelgard muttered to herself. "It looks like I can't keep my promise, either."

"Did you say something, Your Majesty?" Hubert asked. Maybe she hadn't been as quiet as she thought.

"No," Edelgard said, a little too loud. "But you are, of course, correct. Bring it in." She didn't trust her voice to say anything more.

Hubert bowed. "Thank you, Lady Edelgard. I promise you, this is the right decision." He left the audience chamber, then returned a moment later with Dorothea. They had with them a brilliant red dress. Maybe in happier times, Edelgard would have found it beautiful, but now she was repulsed by the idea of ever having to put it on.

"What do you think, Edie?" Dorothea asked, forcing a smile. "You ran the empire out of black dye, so we had to make due with just red for this one!"

Edelgard glowered at her.

"Okay, okay, it was just a...never mind." Dorothea dropped her joyful act. "Thank you for agreeing to this, Edie; we all need something to get us through this endless war. I wish I could help, but..." She trailed off.

"Leave me," Edelgard demanded. Dorothea and Hubert bowed and quickly obeyed, leaving Edelgard alone in the audience chamber. She stood up and walked slowly toward the dress, using her axe Aymr as a cane. She could still walk without it for the time being, but it helped her to conserve her energy before she needed it. In Byleth's absence, she had to be enough of a force on the battlefield for both of them, and it was beginning to take its toll on her body. "More ways of trading my future for Fódlan's," she muttered to herself. "Hm. Not that I was planning on using it for anything." Not any more.

* * *

"My teacher, I must speak with you."

Byleth turned toward Edelgard's voice. "I'm not your teacher any more." The half-smile on their face was a welcome sight to Edelgard, and one that was becoming increasingly frequent. She hoped she wasn't blushing already.

"What, don't you like being mine?" Edelgard teased. Everything was in place for the imperial army's arrival tomorrow, and she had some rare free time before the assault on Garreg Mach began. She intended to make the most of it.

"Hm." Byleth tilted their head. "I suppose I don't mind it..." Edelgard's heart sunk. Had she pushed too far? Was this the thing that would finally drive Byleth away from her? "...but I think I would prefer if you were mine, instead."

Oh. Edelgard had to bite back a gasp. That was...a flirt? From Byleth? Could they really have feelings for her, the way she...

No. Focus. They probably just meant they wanted to keep giving her orders. In battle. Because they're her commander, her _strictly platonic _commander. She had to keep from jumping to conclusions; even aside from their strategic importance, she couldn't bear the thought of losing Byleth's friendship.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Byleth's voice brought her attention back to them. "You looked pale, then red, then pale again. I can call Manuela." Whoops. Edelgard wasn't used to having to hide these sorts of emotions, and apparently it showed.

"No, I'm fine, thank you. I was just...thinking of things I probably should not have been."

Byleth looked puzzled, but accepted her answer. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Right, yes," Edelgard said, then begin the explanation she had been rehearsing on her way to see Byleth. "You are aware that I have shared things with you that I have told no one else, correct? Not even Hubert, in some cases." Edelgard waited for Byleth to nod before continuing. Now for the hard part. "As I share more such things with you, I find myself growing increasingly comfortable around you, and..." She took a deep breath. "...and increasingly fond of you."

That half-smile was back on Byleth's face. "I'm fond of you, too, Edelgard," they said. "I wouldn't follow just anyone into rebellion against the church."

Edelgard sighed inwardly. She was hoping to avoid too much emotional vulnerability, but she probably needed to be more clear about what she meant. "Fondness is only a part of it, really. In battle, I can trust you without question. In politics, I now know that I can count on your full support. And in private, your presence...it somehow soothes me. I am inexperienced in matters of the heart, having had few opportunities to cultivate such a relationship and even less interest in doing so, but... I have found myself developing feelings for you. Romantic ones," she added, for emphasis.

Looking into Byleth's eyes, Edelgard saw an expression they had worn only once before: in the holy tomb, when defying Rhea. "Do you remember the day we met?" Byleth asked. "When I jumped between you and that bandit, with no regard for my own life."

"No regard for your own life?" Edelgard repeated, confused. "You were there and battle-ready in an instant. But yes, I remember that. I could never forget that moment."

"Oh, right. I guess I was," Byleth said with a nervous glance away from Edelgard. "From the moment I saw you, I could tell you were somehow special. That I needed to protect you." To Edelgard's shock, Byleth blushed. "As I got to know you, I realized why I felt this way: you're incredible, Edelgard. I want to help make your dreams a reality. And I want to protect the kind, beautiful woman you show me when no one else is around."

Edelgard couldn't believe what she just heard Byleth say. To make sure, she asked, "Does that mean...you feel the same way?"

Byleth paused to consider the question before responding. "I...don't know," they admitted. "Before we met, I could hardly feel anything. I knew about love, and happiness, and anger, and despair, but I could never figure out how to feel or express them until I came to the monastery. Now my chest gets warm when I'm around you. I don't know what that means, but I want to feel more of that warmth. And more of you," Byleth added with another half-smile. "Was that okay? Dorothea's been teaching me how to flirt."

Unable to bite back her gasp of surprise and excitement this time, Edelgard clutched her hand to her chest. "M-my teacher! I...yes. Yes, that was okay. More than okay. May I..." She shifted slightly closer to Byleth. When they nodded, she hugged Byleth and felt herself enveloped in their warm embrace. "The camp may not be the best setting for...getting closer to one another, though. I'm afraid that may have to wait until after the coming battle."

"I'm looking forward to it," Byleth whispered. They were stroking Edelgard's hair in long, fluid motions now, and she melted further into their arms.

"Byleth?" Edelgard said, her voice barely loud enough for them to hear.

"Yes, Edelgard?"

"Thank you."

* * *

Up close, Edelgard had to admit that the dress was a work of art. It was formal without being flamboyant, bold without being overbearing. It had few decorations, but those that were there all served a purpose: draw the eye _here_, accentuate a curve _there. _And of course, its high neck and accompanying gloves meant she would be able to keep her scars hidden. Dorothea knew her well to be able to design such a perfect garment.

When she got to the back of the dress, she froze. Perhaps to compensate for its relative modesty, the dress's back had a large cut-out in the shape of a heart. Her upper back was one of the few areas of her body untouched by Thales' experiments, and this would show it off to the world. "I suppose they wouldn't know that whatever remained of my heart was lost five years ago." Edelgard sighed, then shook her head. "Foolish, sentimental girl. I have a duty I must perform. After that, I never need to wear this horrible thing again." She gritted her teeth. "I can do this."

Edelgard wasted no time changing into her new dress. Every step of the way, she felt like she was smothering some part of herself, but she didn't let that change her mind or slow her down. She was used to the feeling, after all.

When Edelgard finished dressing, she turned to the door. "Hubert, Dorothea. You may enter," she beckoned. She tried to ask those around her to comment on her appearance rather than use mirrors, whenever possible, and the rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force was happy to oblige. Even numbed by nearly five years of mourning, Edelgard was moved: they had no idea why she asked this of them, yet they responded eagerly and without judgment. She could never get back the family that was taken from her, but somehow, she had found a new family among her classmates.

If only Byleth were walking alongside her...

No.

Fódlan couldn't afford for her to be El. She had to be Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg, whose flames would reforge this broken world.

The door opened. Dorothea and Hubert walked in.

"Well?" the Emperor asked them, slowly rotating to show off the whole dress.

Hubert bowed. "You look stunning as always, Your Majesty."

"Edie..." began Dorothea, tears in her eyes. "Thank you. I know how hard this must be on you. You sacrifice so much for us, and I just..." She trailed off, unable to continue.

"I do what I must. Nothing more. Now leave me. I wish to be alone until the 'feast' begins."

As soon as they were gone, Edelgard sagged with the weight of her broken promise. She felt naked and vulnerable in a way that no amount of gaudy red fabric could cover up. 

An idea came to her. There was still a place here that was special to her—and, she hoped, to Byleth as well. The monastery was deserted except for the Black Eagle Strike Force, so privacy wouldn't be an issue, and there was still plenty of time before their meager reunion feast would begin.

Resolute, Edelgard set off for the goddess tower. Maybe an apology there would put her more at ease.

* * *

Byleth was back.

Byleth returned and found her in the goddess tower.

Byleth was here, with her, in the monastery.

They hadn't left her, nor had they died; they had just gone into a deep sleep, like after the battle with Solon in the Sealed Forest.

Edelgard repeated these words over and over again in her head, still dazed from her encounter with Byleth at the goddess tower. She knew that she would wake up soon, or that this wonderful dream would turn into a familiar nightmare, but for the moment, she didn't care.

Byleth walked with her to the dining hall, where everyone was about to get a much-needed pleasant surprise. Suddenly, Edelgard was looking forward to the meal of glorified military rations more than even the grandest feast her mind could conjure up. Before everything had changed, Byleth had frequently invited her to share meals; now she finally had an opportunity to return the favor.

Byleth's hand brushed against Edelgard's, freezing her in place. "Edelgard?" they asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Not trusting her words, Edelgard instead inched closer to Byleth and took their hand in hers. She leaned sideways into Byleth, noticing how much her body was trembling compared their calm exterior. "Nothing, my teacher," she sighed. "Nothing at all."

They walked together like this the rest of the way to the dining hall. Edelgard didn't mind using Aymr for support, but she would much rather have Byleth at her side. The axe might provide better physical support, but nothing could bolster her mood the way Byleth could.When they reached the doors to the hall, she fixed her posture and looked Byleth in the eyes. "Shall we?"

Byleth nodded, and together they opened the doors.

"Black Eagle Strike Force!" Edelgard intoned, using her best Emperor Voice. "I am beyond pleased to announce that a very special guest will be joining us for dinner!" She raised her and Byleth's clasped hands as high as she could.

The room was full of lively conversation when they entered, but now it stopped as everyone turned to see who their guest was. As soon as they recognized Byleth, silence descended over the hall while their minds processed what was going on. And then, they reacted.

Ferdinand clenched his fist in front of him and nodded, a huge smile on his face.

Caspar shouted, "YEEEEEAAAAAAH!!! THE PROFESSOR'S BACK!!!"

Linhardt covered his ears, but he still grinned, looking slightly less tired than he had just moments earlier.

Bernadetta's eyes widened in amazement as she tried to convince herself that what she was seeing was real and not just some cruel trick.

Dorothea didn't know if she wanted to laugh or to cry, so she just did both.

Petra kissed Dorothea's forehead and jumped with joy.

Hubert launched a dark ball of magic directly at Edelgard.

Before anyone else even noticed the attack, Byleth was a blur of motion. They let go of Edelgard's hand—drew the Sword of the Creator—cut through Hubert's magic to dissipate it—let loose a wordless cry of rage—sent their whiplike sword screaming through the air at Hubert—charged toward him with superhuman speed—prepared to strike—

Hubert smirked and nonchalantly fired another orb, this time at a bewildered Ferdinand. The magic spread through Ferdinand's body, and after a few seconds, he was surrounded by a constellation of rainbow sparkles, his confusion replaced by a vacant smile.

The Sword of the Creator stopped just short of beheading Hubert, Byleth catching up to it an instant later. "Explain," they growled.

"It is a modified healing spell I developed many years ago," Hubert explained in his usual menacing drawl, unfazed by how close he was to death. "At worst, it would have left Her Majesty feeling pleasantly dazed for a minute or so. A perfect test of our dear professor's identity with no risk whatsoever." The look on his face dared anyone to ask him why he had developed such a spell in the first place. Caspar started to do just that, but before he could get a word out, Linhardt clamped a hand over his mouth and pulled him back down into his seat. No one else spoke.

"My identity?" Byleth asked, still brandishing the Sword of the Creator.

"Solon. Kronya. Thales. It would not be the first time our..." Hubert carefully picked out the words he would use, then drowned them in contempt. "..._cherished allies_ stole the likeness of someone we knew, even someone beloved, to infiltrate our ranks."

Edelgard felt her face turn red at "beloved," grateful that everyone's attention was focused away from her.

Hubert continued. "So when you disappeared, I devised this test to use upon your return. It's simple, really: do you protect her with the Sword of the Creator? Pass, and I can easily explain myself. Fail, and Lady Edelgard is safe, while your imposter is..." He bared his teeth. "Not."

Byleth nodded, finally satisfied, and put their sword away. "Thank you, Hubert. I'm glad that Edelgard had you with her these last five years. If something had happened to her, I would have..." Their face turned ashen at the thought. "I don't know what." They dashed back to Edelgard's side nearly as quickly as they had left and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe," they said, a faint tremor in their voice.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Edelgard said, laughing as she returned Byleth's hug.

The room fell silent once again. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Edelgard asked, suddenly anxious.

Dorothea spoke first. "Edie...you...you just laughed," she said. "How long has it been since you laughed?"

Edelgard scowled. "What? Is the emperor not allowed to laugh?"

"Of course you are!" Dorothea rushed to clarify. "I just don't know if I've ever heard you exercise that right. Certainly not in the last five years." Everyone nodded in agreement. "I hope you laugh more often, now that the professor's back. It's a truly enchanting sound."

"It really is," Byleth whispered, low enough that only Edelgard could hear.

Despite her best efforts, Edelgard couldn't keep her scowl from turning into a smile. "I'm sure I'll be able to laugh more once I've had something to eat," she said brightly. "Now that everyone is truly here, shall we begin?" They all cheered, and as soon as Edelgard and Byleth were seated, everyone dug in.

* * *

The reunion feast went quickly; everyone caught Byleth up on what they had been up to the last five years, Edelgard basked in their presence, and Caspar only embarrassed her once. Linhardt had caught some Teutates pike earlier in the day, and Bernadetta turned the fish into the perfect meal to celebrate Byleth's return.

Once, after taking a bite of fish, Byleth didn't go back to holding Edelgard's hand, but instead rested their hand on her thigh, absentmindedly tracing circles on the fabric of her dress with their thumb. They didn't realize what they were doing until they saw Dorothea whisper to Petra and point at them. Petra gave Edelgard a thumbs-up, then dissolved into a giggling mess along with Dorothea. Byleth looked over at Edelgard to see if she knew what just happened, only to see her face flushed bright red, her gaze unfocused. Byleth quickly withdrew their hand and apologized, but Edelgard pulled their hand back into place and covered it with her own, then snuggled up close next to the professor and closed her eyes.

They were both lost in their own world after that, while the feast continued on without them. When it looked like things were starting to wind down, Edelgard sat up and opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but there is a matter I must address with Hubert before we all retire for the evening," she said, standing up. "I won't be long. I promise." Edelgard walked out toward the courtyard and motioned for Hubert to accompany her."

The air outside was crisp and refreshing. Winter was almost over; it was a perfect time for new beginnings. Edelgard let herself relax and enjoy the experience: the chill on her skin, the stars in the night sky, the aroma of Bernadetta's cooking. How long since she had allowed herself to _feel_ like this?

Hubert's voice broke Edelgard out of her trance. "See, Lady Edelgard? This wasn't so bad after all, now was it?"

"Mmm, not at all," Edelgard agreed absentmindedly. Though, something about Hubert's smugness...

She snapped to attention. "Hubert," she said, her voice suddenly dangerous. "You didn't know this was going to happen, did you? You didn't...y-you didn't hide their return from me, did you?"

"Absolutely not," Hubert declared. "If I had learned of the professor's return, I would have rushed to inform you at the first available opportunity. Even if I hadn't seen the way you looked at her in our academy days, it would take a fool not to notice your...extravagant mourning. Worse than a fool, since even Caspar noticed." His voice softened, though Edelgard doubted anyone else would notice the change. "You have already suffered far too much at the hands of those closest to you. I would never keep such a thing from you. Ever."

The tension left Edelgard's body as quickly as it had arrived. "Thank you, Hubert. I knew it must just be a coincidence, but...no. I'm sorry. I should have more faith in you than that."

Hubert bowed. "No apology is needed, Your Majesty. It wasn't entirely a coincidence, after all." Edelgard raised an eyebrow. "It was all guesswork, of course," Hubert explained, "but when I was studying The Immaculate One with Linhardt, I learned that her kind has been known to fall into a deep slumber after traumatic events. Some legends even claim that Cethleann slept for hundreds of years to recover from her efforts at Tailtean Plains. Such tales are clearly exaggerations, of course, but five years was not out of the question. And they did promise to return, after all."

"Hubert...why did you not tell me about this possibility?"

"False hope, Your Majesty. I did not want to risk you slipping further into despair should my theories have proven false. But when Dorothea approached me with an idea to lift everyone's spirits, I was all too happy to assist her. How do you like the dress? She designed it, you know."

"The dress...right, the dress. That's why I asked you to join me out here," Edelgard said. "How quickly can more like it be made?"

"They can be here within a week. How many would you like this time? Perhaps 'several,' again?" Hubert said, his voice lightly teasing her.

"You read my mind, Hubert," Edelgard said with a smile.

"Then I will send a messenger to Enbarr immediately. Now," Hubert said, stealing a glance at the dining hall, "I believe you have a former professor to keep company."

Edelgard nodded, then hurried back to Byleth's side. "My teacher, I am heading back to my room for the evening. Would...would you care to join me?" Edelgard could feel herself blushing, but for once, she didn't care.

Byleth rose. "More than anything," they said.

The reunited couple walked arm in arm to Edelgard's room. They could figure out their long-term sleeping arrangements later, but for now, neither of them wanted to be without the other's company any longer than they had to. 

**Author's Note:**

> hahahahaha oh WOW this kind of got out of control. this started as a throwaway "wouldn't it be sad and/or romantic if..." idea we came up with as we were Shouting About Edeleth with some friends (as one does with friends). the idea stuck with us, we wrote a bit of it then put it aside for a while, and recently we got the inspiration we needed to finish it. which apparently involved substantially more writing than we expected (not a bad thing!)
> 
> real talk: it is wild that nobody, not even Hubert, thinks to check to make sure Byleth's the real deal before they have a chance to wield the Sword of the Creator again (since that more or less proves that they're Actual Byleth) in front of everyone. you'd think after Kronya, Solon, and Thales, they'd've learned a valuable lesson about friendship and malicious shapeshifters, but, well. guess not.
> 
> also it is SUPER annoying to write an Edeleth fic set before their A support, and therefore prior to when Edelgard asks Byleth to call her "El" XD we probably should have taken some artistic license with that like we did with the reunion scene, but by the time we realized that we were too stubborn to change it.
> 
> we're a little unhappy with the ending, but we originally had another scene at the end and felt that it was just drawing things out unnecessarily, so we cut it. we also think there's a lot of room to improve its overall coherency/how well the different elements thread through the narrative & get anchored, but hey, the perfect is the enemy of the good, and all that.
> 
> it's something we hope to revisit as we grow as authors and can gradually improve, but we're happy enough with it to go ahead and post it as-is. we hope y'all liked it :)


End file.
